We consider three examples of types of functional `soft properties' [1]} identified by the diffusion map and supported by enrichment analysis (Tables S1-S7) [2]}: an example of capabilities that uniquely distinguish a group from all others (variable 1; carbon fixation by photosynthetic Cyanobacteria), an example of conserved differences between major taxonomic classes (variable 2; soilborne Actinobacteria vs. host-associated \(\gamma \) -proteobacteria), and an example of major differences among close relatives (variable 31; differences among species in the Enterobacterales).
